The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Browallia plant, botanically known as Browallia speciosa, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘UNHBR18’.
The new Browallia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Durham, N.H. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Browallia plants with attractive flowers in a range of colors, profuse flowering and reduced fruit set.
The new ‘UNHBR18’ originated from a hybridization made by the Inventor on Jul. 11, 2001 between a proprietary selection of Browallia speciosa code UNH BR10-13, not patented, used as female, and a proprietary selection of Browallia speciosa code BROW5-1, not patented, used as male. UNH BR10-13 had a very compact growth habit and large purple flowers with a white center, while BROW5-1 had very vigorous growth and white flowers. Seed was sown on Sep. 20, 2001. From the segregating progeny, a single plant BR1-15-9, later coded as ‘UNHBR18’ was selected in Durham, N.H., USA, on the basis of its compact growth habit and profuse flowering with large white flowers. ‘UNHBR18’ differed from its female parent UNH BR10-13 in that its flowers were white rather than purple; it also differed from its male parent BROW5-1 in that its lateral branches were on average 4-5 cm shorter.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings since January 2002 taken in Durham, N.H. has shown that the unique features of this new Browallia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.